Flat-foot initial contact
Draft — clinical review required1 · Observe2 · Locate3 · Explain4 · Connect
Heel contact
Foot flat
0%20%40%60%80%100%
Contact indicators: heel and forefoot · filled only during contact.
Observed deviation · Heel and forefoot contact almost together
Watch which parts of the foot touch first.
0:00 / 0:56
Inspect gait moment · 0.0%
Illustrative demonstration angles and event timing · 0° is the reference, not a diagnostic cutoff.
No separate heel-first initial contact occurs in this example.
Heel and forefoot contact almost together
Go deeper
Open each part when you are ready.
Observed movement
- Heel and forefoot contact almost together
Example mechanism
- Insufficient dorsiflexion before contact
- A movement pattern alone does not establish its cause.
Teaching narration
- Watch which parts of the foot touch first.
- In typical walking, the heel contacts before the forefoot.
- Here, the heel and forefoot contact almost together. The usual heel-first sequence is reduced or absent.
- One possible contributor is insufficient dorsiflexion to position the foot for heel contact. Other movement restrictions or control problems can produce a similar appearance.
- Compare this with foot slap.
- Foot slap begins with heel contact followed by rapid forefoot lowering. Flat-foot initial contact begins with almost simultaneous contact.
- It describes a contact pattern, not the height of the foot’s arch.
Connect — related deviations
Apply it
What can this animation establish?
Sources and review status
Draft — clinical review required
Starting points for verification. Validated protocols are linked where available; clinical content has not yet been reviewed.
Learning objectives
- Identify the observed movement and its timing.
- Distinguish the observation from a possible contributor.
- Compare this feature with related deviations.